I Can Can Can!!!

The past two weeks have been filled with harvesting yummy veggies, making tasty salsas and canning them until I have nothing left! I have canned 3 and a half cases. Mostly salsa but also some pickles and peach butter! I made three different types of salsa. Two from the book... and the third and peach and tomato salsa from a fellow blogger, Heather of A Handmade Life.

Tomato Peach Salsa

3 1/2 pounds ripe, Roma tomatoes (blanch, peel, and chop)
1 1/2 pounds peaches  (peeled and chopped)
3 large bell type peppers
several hot type peppers (maybe 6 jalapeno type then add more depending on your taste)
1-2 large onions

fresh crushed garlic (1 head is nice but can use less)

1 small can tomato paste

3/4 cup white vinegar

1 tbsp coarse salt

2 tsp paprika (optional)

Put all ingredients in large pot.  Bring to boil uncovered and then turn down heat and simmer for 1 hour.  Keep an eye on it and stir every so often otherwise it can burn on the bottom as it thickens.  Then process in sterilized canning jars.  I use the hot water bath method and process 10 minutes for pint jars.

http://ahandmadelife.blogspot.com/2010/09/tomato-peach-salsa.html

The recipes that I used for the other two salsas came from the book Small Batch Preserving by Ellie Topp and Margaret Howard.

Basic Chucky Tomato Salsa 

pg. 188

4 medium tomatoes

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1/2 sweet green pepper, chopped

1-4 jalapeno peppers, halved, seeded and chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 C tomato sauce

1/2 C red wine vinegar

1/2 C chopped fresh parsley

2 tsp granulated sugar

1/2 tsp pickling salt

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1. Combine tomatoes, onion, green pepper, jalapeno peppers, garlic, tomato sauce, vinegar, parsley, sugar, salt and cumin in a medium stainless steel or enamel saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat and boil gently, uncovered for 25 minutes or until desired consistency, stirring frequently.

2. Remove hot jars from canner and ladle salsa into jars to within 1/2 inch of rim (head space). Process 20 minutes for half-pint and pint jars as directed on page 133 (Longer Time Processing Procedure).

Makes 2 1/2 cups.

I tripled this recipe and ended up making three stock pots worth! My husband LOVES it!

Peach Mint Salsa

pg.197

2 Cups chopped peaches

1/4 C finely chopped red onion

1/4 C finely chopped sweet green pepper

1 tbsp finely chopped jalapeno pepper

2 tbsp liquid honey

1/4 tsp pickling salt

grated rind and juice of one lime

2 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint

1. Combine peaches, onion, peppers, honey, salt, lime rind and juice in a medium stainless steel or enamel saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat and boil gently, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Stir in mint and cook for 1 minute.

3. Remove hot jars form canner and ladle salsa into jars to within 1/2 inch of rim (head space). Process 10 minutes for half-pint or pint jars as directed on page 133 (Longer Time Processing Procedure).

Makes 2 cups.

I quadrupled this batch and after letting it simmer for a bit, added some sugar as it was really tart.

I also used the recipe for making dill pickles and peach butter. I highly recommend this book for anyone looking to can any of their garden produce.